A team of officials from the European Union arrives this week in Chengdu, capital of southwest China's Sichuan Province, to meet with local organizers and local enterprises in advance of November's Sino-European Union investment and trade fair.

The trade fair, scheduled to be held on November 9-10 this year, will be the largest of its kind in the history of Sino-EU economic cooperation.

During their stay in Chengdu on Wednesday and Thursday, the group from the 25 EU member states will meet with the organization committee of the trade fair.

Around 400 enterprises from 25 EU member countries and 500 Chinese enterprises are expected to participate in the trade fair. So far 742 Chinese enterprises have applied to participate in the trade fair.

The event aims to broaden understanding between Chinese and European entrepreneurs and provide a forum for each to explore the other's market, an official with the organization committee said.

The 2006 Sino-EU trade fair will be jointly sponsored by the European Commission, the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade and the Sichuan provincial government.

Source: Xinhua